. J ; ; ;J; : ,;I•; (cont.)

The same is true for the conditions of the shahaadah. A study of the verses of the Quran and the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) will show find that the conditions of the shahaadah are seven, eight or nine in number depending on how one views them. It is important that every Muslim ensures that he is meeting these conditions in his own life with respect to his own testimony of faith. The first condition is knowledge or al-ilm (ƕ1). One must have the necessary basic understanding of what is meant by the shahaadah. One must understand what the shahaadah is affirming and what the shahaadah is denying. Allah says in the Quran, Ji. " ,., .,. / ,.,, / ,., .:z / :II ' / ,., I1) F}JJJ Gil _;.o...;H °' .. 1j Zi1 _I `I ';J .. ృi ౄG ,,.. ,,,,,. . / / ,,,. ,,,. Î Î ; ; ; "So know that there is no God save Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and the believing women" (Muhammad 19). Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ..-: I) / j;Q ,,,. ,,,. QI ୄ; tll\ ':if1 भ1 ':if m औ कJ ::::_,+ :; "Whoever dies knowing that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah shall enter Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim.) In fact, the shahaadah itself is a testimony. When one testifies to something, one must know what it is that he is testifying concerning. Obviously, a testimony about something that one does not have any knowledge of is unacceptable. Allah says in the Quran, 0;:;l Ӷ) _^ ¥" ;. q; "Save him who bears witness unto the truth knowingly" (al-Zukhruf 86). Therefore, the basics of the shahaadah must be understood by the person testifying to it. 1 If he does not understand, for example, that Allah is the only one worthy of worship and that all other gods are false gods, then he does not even have the most elementary understanding of what it is he claims to be testifying to. Such a shahaadah cannot be considered a proper one that is acceptable to Allah. 1 If the person is unfamiliar with detailed knowledge concerning Allah but adheres to the basic fundamental aspects, that does not deny his being a Muslim. However, he must not afterwards reject any detailed aspect once the knowledge or evidence comes to him. Cf., W. al-Umari, p. 49. Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi The second condition of the shahaadah is certainty or al-yaqeen (0#1). This is the opposite of doubt and uncertainty. In Islam, in fact, any kind of doubt concerning anything confirmed in the Quran or the sunnah is equivalent to kufr or disbelief. 1 One must, in his heart, be absolutely certain of the truth of the shahaadah. One's heart must not be wavering in any way when one testifies to the truth of, "There is none worthy of worship except Allah." Allah describes the true believers as those who have belief in Allah and then their hearts waver not. Allah says, i ' -- ,-- -- i 'u-Ȅ-- :I - U..,, .._:_)ॖy- [ ,,,. ,., ,,. ,,.. J (._,,.. ,., ,,. .... s;K1 n Lji M1 JӲӳӴ N Oij r֌:Ӱӱ "The (true) believers are only those who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere" (al-Hujuraat 1 5). Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "No one meets Allah with the testimony that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah, and he has no doubt about that statement, except that he will enter Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim.) On the other hand, Allah describes the hypocrites as those people whose hearts are wavering. For example, Allah says, J. ,., ,,. {I,., ,,. ,J ,,,. ,., ;:Z.... ,,.. ;:ii ੱyJ PLljlj _;>-ȓ\ ,..._j;Jlj .&Li ࢃ;.?H S.:UI ୂJୃ; ও--l LJI ,,.. ,,,. ,,. / ,,.. ,,. ,,,. ,,.. [ / J .:il ,,.. ,,..,,.. ,,. ,,. .... . ,,. J ... . .._:_)J!!f-:! ॗक़ ୀୁ "They alone seek leave of you [not to participate in jihad] who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver" (al-Taubah 45). Many scholars have stated that the diseases of the heart, or the doubts and suspicions that one allows into one's heart, are more dangerous for a person's faith than lusts and desires. This is because lusts and desires may be satisfied at some time yet the person still knows them to be wrong. He may then eventually be able to control himself, repent and give up those evil deeds. 1 An exception to this is related to the case of ignorance where one is doubtful about something and is not aware that it is proven in the Quran and sunnah.